


Fireflies

by mrcheese5728



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula is a bit messed up, Ba Sing Se, Bamf Iroh, Check the warnings pls, Falling In Love, Gay Character, Imprisonment, Jet (Avatar) Lives, M/M, Mpreg, One Shot, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Pansexual Character, Pregnancy, Smellerbee is done with your bs, Soft Zuko, Starvation, Trans Male Character, Trans Zuko (Avatar), Zuko joins the gaang, Zuko steals a lot whoops, bamf zuko, why wasn't that a tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:55:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23195872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrcheese5728/pseuds/mrcheese5728
Summary: Zuko doesn’t join the freedom fighters. It’s too risky for him and his uncle, and his uncle is the most important person to him. The freedom fighters hold a hate for the fire nation that makes Zuko know that he’ll never fit in with them; the inner fire within his body is enough proof for that.He’s a survivor, but he’s still a firebender.But Zuko, even though he’ll never admit it out loud, is lonely. He has Uncle, but Uncle is old and aging, and Zuko can’t connect with him in the way he so craves to have with someone. Being with Jet soothes that ache, makes Zuko feel alive in a way that oh so rarely happens anymore.So when Jet asks if they can meet in two days after they arrive in Ba Sing Se, Zuko says yes.
Relationships: Jet/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 72
Kudos: 846





	Fireflies

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ THIS NOTE
> 
> Okay so this deals with some slightly touchy subject for people. More specifically, trans folk. In my fic, Zuko is trans, and he get's pregnant. I know this is a big no no for some people, while it's okay for others. Every transguy would handle this differently. This is what I wanted to do for my fic. Harsh or unnecessary comments will be deleted.
> 
> WARNINGS for one trans slur, cursing, some violence, and obviously the note above.

Zuko doesn’t join the freedom fighters. It’s too risky for him and his uncle, and his uncle is the most important person to him. The freedom fighters hold a hate for the fire nation that makes Zuko know that he’ll never fit in with them; the inner fire within his body is enough proof for that.

He’s a survivor, but he’s still a firebender.

But Zuko, even though he’ll never admit it out loud, is  _ lonely. _ He has Uncle, but Uncle is old and aging, and Zuko can’t connect with him in the way he so craves to have with someone. Being with Jet soothes that ache, makes Zuko feel alive in a way that oh so rarely happens anymore.

So when Jet asks if they can meet in two days after they arrive in Ba Sing Se, Zuko says yes.

*

Jet’s ideas of fun are, surprisingly, actually fun. They explore the city on the rooftops, hiding underneath the blanket of night. Zuko is better at hiding and stealth (a point of pride for him) but Jet has proven himself to be more than capable with his twin tiger hook swords. 

It’s a challenge for Zuko to be able to spar with someone equally matched to him. Zuko has to  _ work _ for it, and he loves it even when it almost gets to be  _ too _ much for Zuko to handle. When the swords disappear during the spar, they end up wrestling each other into the ground, trying to dominate the other. Sometimes Zuko wins, sometimes Jet wins.

Jet wins this round, with a move that makes Zuko land on his back and lose all air in his lungs. He’s pinned Zuko to the ground, leg shoved between Zuko’s thighs and panting heavily above him. Zuko, below him, is struggling to breath for a reason that isn’t because of the spar.

One of the first things he’d done when he was banished was buy a compression vest. Zuko was just starting to grow into his  _ body _ and the vest kept everything flat, smooth, and  _ masculine. _ Despite it making a whole load of things more difficult (breathing, firebending forms, movement as a whole) it made it so, so much easier to look in the mirror, and that was what really mattered. He thought he could work with the new change, and made it work out of sheer fucking spite.

The one’s in the Earth Kingdom are new, because his old one is basically in tatters, and definitely not broken in. His chest hurts to breathe, and he can’t get air into his lungs. He shouldn’t have worn it out to spar, but what  _ choice _ did he have?

Jet, still above him, seems to realize that something is actually wrong. 

_ “Shit, _ Li. What’s wrong? Did I hit you too hard in the chest? Shit Li! I need you to breathe man!” Jet gets off him, instead sitting beside him and trying to figure out what’s wrong. Zuko shakes his head, because this is definitely  _ not _ something that is fucking happening right now. He shoves away Jet’s searching hands.

“Fine.” He gasps out, still trying to catch his  _ fucking breath. _

“Li that’s a bunch of hog monkey shit, I need to take off your shirt man. I could’ve broken your ribs and pierced a  _ lung-”  _ Jet sounds like he’s going to freak out, and Zuko is shaking his as hard as he can. 

“No.” Actually, there’s a very real possibility that Zuko’s ribs are broken or at least cracked.

“No? What do you  _ mean _ no?! Just let me take your damn shirt off!” Jet is still trying to pry Zuko’s shirt off, and he grabs Jet’s hands into his own, trying to catch Jet’s panicked eyes. 

“I’m fine. Promise.” Jet looks so confused and angry, that Zuko thinks he’s going to take off Zuko’s shirt anyway.

His breath is starting to regulate now that he’s not actively moving (and the adrenaline is going away now,  _ ouch) _ and he’s starting to feel more pain, but breathing is probably more important right now. 

Zuko takes as deep of a breath as he can manage. “Vest.” He breathes.

Jet stills. “Vest?”

“To...compress my...chest.” It’s getting harder to breath for a whole other reason, now. Jet’s face looks confused for a whole solid moment, before he comes to the realization.

“Oh.” Yeah. Oh.

Jet suddenly looks angry, and Zuko is already trying to push up because maybe Jet’s trans-phobic? Oh  _ fuck _ this was a bad idea-

“How long have you been fucking  _ wearing _ it, oh spirits damn you!” Jet looks legitimately pissed off, and Zuko blinks in surprise. “You need to take that thing off right now, I swear I won’t look but  _ oh my spirits _ please don’t tell me you’ve been wearing that all day!” Jet, carefully and so, so gently, pulls Zuko to his feet. Zuko hisses at the pain, and Jet frowns deeply at him. 

“Look man. I get it - we had some people in the Freedom Fighters who are trans. I don’t care about you being trans, but I really, really need you to take it off before you hurt yourself any further.” 

Zuko knows he’s right.

He’s strangely glad that they’re in the fields of Ba Sing Se - no one to see them there, except maybe the creepy guys with rock gloves - and he stares at Jet. “Turn around.” Jet does as told, and Zuko closes his eyes, hating the situation he’s in right now.

Taking the vest off hurts. He probably has a bruised or cracked rib, maybe even multiple. But his lungs aren’t pierced, and as soon as he actually gets the vest off, breathing is much, much easier. Still painful, but that’s unimportant.

The vest is in his hands, the closest color he could get to his skin and covered in sweat. He tucks it securely into his waistband, and regrets  _ so much _ wearing a semi form fitting black suit right now. He tries to make himself look as small as possible when he turns around. 

Jet is still looking away. 

“Done.” Zuko quietly says. Jet turns around, and looks at him intensely. 

“Are you okay?” He asks, stepping forward and touching Zuko’s shoulder carefully. Zuko doesn’t knock it off.

He nods. “I’ll be fine. Let's just leave.” Jet doesn’t move, and watches Zuko for a moment before pulling away and starting to strip. Zuko stares at him in bewilderment. 

“What in spirit's name are you  _ doing?” _ He demands, blushing at seeing a now half naked Jet. Jet smirks a little, and holds out the top he was wearing. 

“Here. This might help.” Zuko looks between the shirt and Jet’s seemingly honest face. When he doesn’t move, Jet sighs heavily.

“Look man, just put the shirt on. It’ll make you feel better. Not the first time I’ve done it, and probably won’t be the last. Shit happens. Just put it on.” Zuko watches his face for any sign of lying, and when he finds none he huffs, grabbing the shirt out of his hands.

Jet dutifully turns around, and when Zuko puts it on he notices that it  _ does _ help a bit. When Jet turns back around, he gives Zuko a once over. “Looks good. I think I like you in my clothes.” He says, winking. Zuko blushes deeply, and smacks Jet’s  _ bare and very toned chest _ with his arm.

“Shut up. Let’s get out of here.” Jet merely grins, and pulls Zuko snugly into his - naked! - side and steers him towards the city. Zuko contemplates throwing the arm off, but the arm is warm and  _ safe _ , so he lets this happen.

*

Things seem to change the next time he sees Jet. Not in a bad way, but in a way that there’s less of a wall between them. Zuko feels himself relaxing around Jet a little more than he did before. 

Jet never really says anything about it. The closest he gets is when he asks Zuko if he’s prepared for “Going out on the town,” with a raised eyebrow. Though Zuko hadn’t been able to spare for a week after the incident with Jet’s refusal to participate with his worry that he might hurt Zuko more.

Zuko wants to hate it. He’s more than capable of taking care of  _ himself,  _ thank you very much.

...but it feels nice, and makes Zuko feel warm in a way he can’t describe.

*

They’re sharing the stories on their scars. It’s very quiet between them, nothing but the sounds of bugs around them chirping in the air.

“This is from… when my village was burned down.” Jet’s pants are pulled up, and Zuko sees a jagged, angry looking burn up running up his leg. Zuko’s stomach clenches. “I was trying to get out of the house, but… the flames were everywhere.”

“Fire destroys everything.” Zuko says bitterly, clenching his hands in his lap.

“Not always.” Jet says softly. Zuko’s head snaps up in surprise. Did  _ Jet, _ leader of the freedom fighters and Fire Nation hater extraordinaire just say…? “It’s wild, sure. But it gives life. Cooks our food, keeps us warm, gives us light.” He turns towards Zuko with the most open look he’s seen yet.

“It hurts.” Zuko spits out, looking away. His heart goes straight into his throat, and Jet scoots closer to Zuko so their shoulders and legs are completely pressed next to each other. “The first thing you notice is the smell - the smell of burning flesh.” He shudders. “Then you notice the pain - it’s so excruciating that you’re not sure you’re actually alive, and you can’t do anything but scream because that pain isn’t going away anytime soon. You’re waiting to die, but you’re still alive. Then, you’re left with the realization that you’re branded - you’re branded forever by something you can never truly get away from.”

“Who branded you?” Jet says it so softly that Zuko thinks he imagined it, but he answers anyway. 

“Someone who wanted to teach me a lesson. It didn’t work, because I’m  _ weak.”  _ Zuko suddenly finds himself pulled into a bone crunching hug, which he returns only after a moment of hesitation and confusion. 

“You think you deserved it?” Jet’s voice betrays none of his emotions.

“I know I did. I dishonored him, disrespected him. He only wanted me to be better.” Jet’s hands come up to gently, gently stroke Zuko’s hair. It’s no longer that hideous shaved hair, and has actual locks now. The action makes Zuko shiver slightly, even if it’s not unwanted.

“How old?”

“13.”

“...I’m going to kill whoever did this to you.” Zuko chuckles humorlessly.

“Pretty sure someone’s already on that, actually.”

“You didn’t  _ deserve _ it Li. No child deserves to be scarred like that. There’s no lesson to be taught there. It’s from someone who didn’t care about you in the slightest, and you have nothing to prove to them; I promise.” His voice is firm, and despite not being loud it seems to echo between them. Zuko clenches his hands tightly, willing himself to keep it together just a bit longer.

Jet gently rearranges them so he’s more or less spooning Zuko - pressed close to Jet’s warm chest by his arms, and head tucked under his chin. He hasn’t been in a position like this since his mother was around - but he feels  _ safe  _ in Jet’s arms. 

He hasn’t felt that anywhere else, and that’s when he realizes those flutters in his stomach - the ones he only gets around Jet - can only mean one thing. 

Zuko cries into Jet’s shirt because everything is  _ so much _ so suddenly, but Jet merely whispers reassuring nothing’s in Zuko’s ear until they fall asleep.

*

Zuko has fallen way too fast way too hard, but he doesn’t mind.

*

The thing is, Zuko has a soft spot for children.

There’s a child - a small girl, no older than 8, wandering around  _ in the dark _ and calling for her mom. Zuko nearly has a panic attack when he sees her. 

She barely comes up to Zuko’s belly button, and she has the  _ widest, _ most innocent eyes. She has long black hair braided down her back, and her clothes are basically rags. Her cheeks are hollow and her wide eyes are gaunt like, but still full of life.

Her eyes though, are just like Zukos.

Zuko ascends down from the rooftop of the house before he’s even aware he’s doing it, and trying to make himself look as non threatening as possible with his blades on his back. He makes sure that the girl hears him when he walks towards her, her eyes wide in fear.

“Hey.” Zuko says softly. “My name’s Li. What’s yours?” He crouches down in front of her, and she gasps slightly when she finally gets a good look at his scar. Zuko doesn’t even flinch - he’s used to it.

“My name’s Kimiko.” She says slowly, “You’re like me, aren’t you?” 

She’s talking about their matching eyes. Zuko looks above him, and sees Jet still on the roof. Thank Agni. He turns back to Kimiko and leans forward. “You have to be really careful about what you say here. There’s always people listening.” he says it very quietly, so quietly that he’s not sure she hears it until she nods frantically. “Good. You’re looking for your mom, right?” 

“We got separated, I don’t know where she is! Will you help me find her?” Zuko nods. 

“I sure will. What does she look like?” 

It doesn’t take them long to find her mom. Zuko has Kimiko on his shoulder and is wandering around the semi-busy market where Kimiko says she last saw her mother. Kimiko just talks about her pet owl-cat the whole time, which Zuko doesn’t mind in the least. 

“KIMIKO!” Zuko nearly collapses in relief, and turns around to see a black haired woman with amber eyes running towards them. She freezes in her tracks when she sees Zuko, and he hurriedly lets a squirming Kimiko down on the ground. She all but runs into her mom's legs, who picks her up and holds her to her chest, muttering things Zuko pretends he can’t hear into her ear. 

He’s starting to inch away, but Kimiko’s mom grabs him by the arm before he can disappear. “Thank you, so much.” She says earnestly. Zuko gives her a strained smile. 

“Of course, ma’am.” 

“You are a fine young man for doing such a thing. I wish you good fortune.” Zuko nods once, and nearly reels back in surprise when she sets Kimiko down and gives him a  _ Fire Nation bow. _

Zuko returns it on instinct, and practically runs away.

*

Zuko doesn’t see Jet for a few days after that night. He still waits on top of his own rooftop, anyways. He feels hurt in a way he can’t describe, and feels like he’s messed up in some way, and  _ really badly.  _ He’s almost considering hunting him down when Jet suddenly appears on the roof beside him. 

Zuko exhales a breath of relief, before freezing when he sees the look on Jet’s face. 

He looks conflicted, and Zuko is suddenly, incredibly scared.

“Follow me?” Jet asks softly.

Zuko does.

*

Jet ends up bringing him to a pond. It’s hidden by reeds, and fireflies gently float over the area. Zuko nearly squeals when he spots turtle ducks, but instead he turns towards Jet to ask why he brought him here.

He still looks conflicted, but… softer, somehow. Jet carefully sits down, and slings a bag Zuko didn’t realize he was wearing over his shoulder. Zuko hesitantly sits down next to him, and watches as Jet pulls out a variety of small foods and a canister of something.

“Jet?”

Jet looks up at Zuko, and smiles softly. His eyes glow slightly from the fireflies. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a while.”

“And what is...this?” 

“A date.” He replies simply. Zuko feels his stomach drop, and he turns away to stare at the water. He closes his eyes, and his next words leave behind a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Jet...you don’t know everything about me.”

“I know enough. I know you’re a survivor, like me.” Jet’s face becomes so much softer, and Zuko’s heart aches. “I know you have a soft spot for kids. I know you love your Uncle, even though you try to hide it. You shouldn’t, by the way, because he loves you too. I could list more things, so many small things I’ve learned.” He takes a deep breath, and Zuko finds himself already tensing for what Jet’s about to say next.

“And I also know you’re a firebender.” Zuko’s eyes widen impossibly large, and he’s already trying to run away -

Jet catches him, and Zuko fights. He doesn’t have his blades on him, but he’s more than capable of getting away without them. He thrashes and hits, but Jet still manages to pin him to the ground. 

“Li!” Jet shouts, and Zuko freezes beneath him. “I’m not- I’m not mad. I haven’t told anyone, and I won’t. Please listen to me?”

Zuko says nothing, and doesn’t move.  _ Why isn’t he trying to get away? _

Jet sighs between them, and Zuko catches the faintest smell of spice. “I’m not telling you that to scare you, or to threaten you and your Uncle. I just want you to know that I know, and that I’m  _ still in love with you.” _

Zuko stares at Jet’s face. He looks for any  _ hint  _ that what he’s saying could even possibly mean he’s lying. He finds nothing.

“You really mean it?” Zuko asks, sounding just a little bit hopeful.

“I really mean it.” Jet grins, and he leans down to kiss him.

It’s the first kiss of many.

*

It’s when Jet drags him to a festival - celebrating badgermoles, apparently - and absolutely  _ can not juggle for shit  _ that sends Zuko onto the ground in tears from laughter. Jet is cursing the balls out, claiming that he’s just  _ rusty _ and that he used to be able to do this, and why don’t  _ you _ give it a try Li?

Zuko realizes, with an ache in his stomach and satisfaction at making Jet  _ blush, _ that he’s actually, legitimately happy. 

*

Uncle is going to get his own tea shop, and Zuko can’t help but be happy for him. He can’t help but wonder though, what it’d be like if he and Jet go their own house together.

*

Jet  _ disappears. _

Zuko has no idea what to do. He searches the entire damn city of Ba Sing Se, every alley and every row of crops in the fields. He thinks he finds answers in Lake Laogai, but all he finds is the Avatar’s Bison. 

It’s like a familiar itch under his skin, one that tells them to  _ use _ this, to capture the Avatar and return home a  _ hero- _

Uncle shows up, because of course he does. His presence is a slap in the face, reminding Zuko of what his past has been, and how his future  _ could be. _

Zuko stares at the stone floor in anger, remembering the burning of his skin from his father, the smell of his Uncle’s tea, and the feather light kisses from Jet.

He frees the bison.

*

He falls ill. Really, really ill. Uncle says it’s because he’s changing, and Zuko silently agrees.

It doesn’t quite go away, not completely. There’s no fever, but the throwing up remains. Sometimes in the morning, sometimes not. It drives Zuko crazy, crazy enough to drink the tea Iroh gives him to calm his stomach.

Iroh is concerned, and watches him carefully every time Zuko sticks his head in the bucket. He suggests nerves, possibly from Jet’s disappearance. Zuko settles for that explanation, despite a small voice in the back of his head disagreeing.

*

Longshot and Smellerbee are not surprised when Zuko hunts them down. Their apartment is tiny - only a room with a roof and a mattress for the three of them, and next to no personal belongings. Zuko knows he’s fortunate, knows that even in the lower ring, he’s better off than other people are. 

They know about him and Jet. They’ve never tagged along before on Zuko and Jet’s nightly adventures, but he knows they must know. Longshot, for sure, is much too observant to let anything slide by him. Smellerbee is smart, and can put tidbits of information together into a full fledged narrative if the stories Jet told him was true.

He thinks they are, if the way she doesn’t even look surprised when Li knocks on their door is any indication.

Zuko's hands are trembling as he sits on the floor, with Longshot and Smellerbee sitting across from him. He clenches them in an attempt to stop it, but he knows better than that by now. Smellerbees jaw looks like it’s about to break from tension, and Zuko has  _ never _ seen Longshot’s shoulder so tense before. 

“We’re going to find him.” Zuko says, failing to keep the tremble out of his voice. He’s not one for giving up - never had been, not with his stubbornness and desire to prove his worth. 

Smellerbee sighs, ever so faintly. “We have nothing to go on. Nothing solid, and nobody seems to have even heard of somebody matching Jet’s description.” 

Zuko clenches his jaw. Jet is unforgettable, with his strange clothing, his sharp smirk, and the tiger hooks by his side always. It makes no sense. “We’ll just have to find somebody who does remember then.” He says, and it sounds suspiciously hollow to his own ears. 

Smellerbee and Longshot exchange a look, and Zuko tries not to wonder what it meant.

*

His inner fire begins changing not long after they settle into the upper ring of Ba Sing Se. He doesn’t know how to describe it at first - it’s just  _ strange. _

It feels like it’s growing, which isn’t strange in itself, because your inner fire grows the more you advance in firebending. The thing is though, Zuko hasn’t been training. Mostly because he’s a fucking fugitive of his own Nation, he’s hiding out in a tea shop with his Uncle in the Earth Kingdom, and he’s busy searching for his missing boyfriend.

His inner fire is...condensed in his stomach. Which is usual, Zuko supposes, because the stomach is the sea of chi, and the source of energy in the body.

Fire, as Zuko knows because Uncle won’t stop verbally beating it into his brain, is life. His own flames, when cupped in his palm, feels like he’s holding something precious, something alive, with an actual heartbeat. His own inner fire pulses with his own heart - as his chi, his energy, is an extension of his spirit. Basic stuff.

So it understandable freaks Zuko the fuck out when, nestled in his own inner flame, there’s another heart beat, from another small, almost not noticeable fire that is definitely not his own, but is strikingly similar.

He drops the tea set in his hands - at least they were one of the uglier sets - and stands there, stunned, for a solid 15 seconds in a state of extreme panic.

Because his brain, his awful, awful brain, has made the connection of the tiny heartbeat to the fact that 1) he hasn’t had the damn moon cycle in two months, and 2) that he was definitely sexually active with Jet.

One moon is mildly concerning. Two moons is  _ definitely _ something. That traitorous voice in the back of his head reminds him of the vomiting, and it’s all Zuko can do not to throw up at the thought.

Zuko, because he’s about to have a panic attack in the middle of the damn tea shop, immediately seeks out his Uncle. Uncle will know what to do, he’s sure of it. He trusts Uncle with his life.

“Uncle!” His voice must sound panicked, truly panicked, because Uncle immediately whips around from his tea making and grabs Zuko by the arms, looking him up and down for any injury. 

“What is it, nephew? What’s wrong?” His voice is full of concern, so much so that if Zuko were any less of a man he would cry.

“Something - my fire is - I think-” Zuko can’t get the words out of his mouth, can’t form the fucking sentence that has lodged itself in his throat.

“Deep breaths, Zuko. Sit down, over here.” Uncle gently leads him to the table in the shop kitchen, and Zuko all but shoves himself at the chair. He’s thankful when Uncle pulls up a chair next to him, and holds the back of his neck firmly. It’s something to ground him with, at least.

“Breath in, hold, and release. Do as I do” Zuko shuts his eyes tightly and nods as a response, and tries to follow the deep and calm breathing patterns his Uncle is doing. It starts to settle him, because breathing for a firebender is something that is a necessity, of course. Fire comes from the breath, not the muscles.

The thought of fire makes Zuko want to panic all over again, but that will solve nothing, so he shoves the panic down. He can have another freak out later. Right now, he needs to tell his Uncle what the fuck is happening. He carefully opens his eyes and looks at his Uncle.

“Uncle, I think I’m pregnant.” Zuko doesn’t say it loudly, but it seems to make everything silent. Uncle’s eyes widen in shock, and his grip on Zuko’s neck tightens briefly.

“Oh Zuko.” There’s no disappointment in his voice, only kindness and understanding.

And  _ that _ is enough for Zuko to throw himself into his Uncles arms and cry.

*

“Jet does not know.” Uncle's voice startles Zuko out of his thoughts. He’s been cleaning those  _ damn teacups _ for the past half hour, and he nearly drops the cup in his hand in the sink. 

He sighs heavily, going back to cleaning the cup with the rag. “I still haven’t found him yet. I’m thinking about asking Longshot and Smellerbee if they’ve caught any leads about his whereabouts, but last I checked they had nothing.”

Uncle hums to himself, and Zuko feels a pit of dread begin to form in the bottom of his stomach.

*

Azula shows up, because of  _ course  _ she does. Her words are tempting and smooth like honey, and Zuko feels the allure of them trying to pull him under again.

He thinks of his Uncle, who has such faith in Zuko that it’s almost too much to bear.

He looks at his sister, who’s as vicious as a two headed rat viper and looks like she already  _ knows _ what Zuko’s about to say.

He thinks about Jet, and the fact that he may - or may not be - alive at the very moment, and that there’s a little life growing in him now, and that it’s all the signs of a new beginning, a  _ good _ one, if he takes it.

Azula’s look of shock when Zuko fires at her is something he’ll cherish until he dies.

*

He doesn’t win against Azula. She’s too fast, and Zuko’s balance is just _ that much off, _ and her stupid,  _ stupid _ Dai Li agents catch him in that stupid rock that they have Uncle enclosed in.

*

“You’re a traitor to the Fire Nation, you know.” Azula says casually, leaning against the door of his cell nonchalantly. He would have thought that watching him is beneath her, but maybe it’s some new humiliation tactic she’s trying. Zuko says nothing, instead glaring at the uniform he’s supposed to wear (a hideous, hideous brown robe) and doesn’t make a move towards it. Azula notices. “You’re gonna have to put that on, or they're going to strip you and put it on  _ for _ you.”

He winces. Azula notices this, too.

“Don’t feel so exposed. Those robes are for traitors of all genders, and no one wants to look at you anyway. You’ll just look like one big _blegh._ ” There’s a wild, manic grin on his sister's face, and he resists the urge to lash out at her.

That grin is something he’s seen on his sister's face their whole childhood. It’s nothing  _ new, _ but before, it was just unsettling. She had baby cheeks and a childlike voice, and that grin didn’t suit a child. Now, in the years he’s been banished, he gets a good look at her. She’s grown into that feral, vicious grin, and it makes Zuko’s heart hurt. She reminds him of his father, and it makes his heart stop for the briefest of moments.

But no matter what anyone says, the crazy psycho outside of his cell - the one who put him there - is still his sister. 

And Zuko is still her brother. 

He remembers the day he came out to her - not long after his mother, actually. His mother had accepted it with grace, and merely gave him all the unconditional love that only a mother can give. She told him how the Sages predicted she’d have a boy when she was pregnant by the way her belly was hanging, and it turns out that they were right in the end. 

Zuko cried.

Azula’s reaction was much more  _ Azula. _

She didn’t understand it, but she still changed, even if it was just a little. 

She called him Zuzu - a nickname that fits both his dead name and his real name - and fought against him even harder than before, like one would do with a brother instead of a sister. She kicked his ass, and that’s probably the only time that Zuko was actually happy to  _ lose, _ even if she was just using it as an excuse to show how much of a better fighter she was.

She never even mentioned any of it to father, which is probably the nicest thing Azula has ever done for him. He doesn’t really know  _ why _ she didn’t tell their father - it’s another opportunity to make Zuko  _ hurt, _ to show how  _ horrible  _ he is. Maybe she really does care, in some fucked up way. But Zuko remembers how she smiled when he was branded, so maybe it’s something else.

Zuko stares at the robes.

He knows that they’ll strip him if he doesn’t change - knows he’ll be exposed to all the world then, because guards can’t keep their mouths shut no matter how strict you are on them. They’ll probably humiliate him - tell him how much of a damn disappointment he is, how dishonorable and heinous it is for Ozai to have a  _ tranny _ as a child, and what a disgrace and horrendous traitor he is to the Fire Nation and to his ancestors.

Then there’s always the possibility that they’ll try to show  _ just how much of a woman _ Zuko is in the worst way possible, as if his swelling stomach isn’t enough of an indication.

Zuko doesn’t want to think about what they’d do if they found  _ that  _ out.

The last thought spurs him into action. As quickly as he can, he strips out of his Earth Kingdom clothes, and shrugs on the damn robe.

“Vest too, Zuzu.” Azula says sweetly, still hanging outside the door like a fucking creep. Zuko swallows down bile, but does as she says so, making sure that he’s not facing her when he takes it off and tosses it with the rest of the green commoner clothes.

He’s definitely gonna throw up at one point. He takes a moment to look down at his stomach, and freezes.

There is a very noticeable, very recognizable bump on his stomach.

Zuko puts the robes as quickly as he can, and spends the rest of the trip to the Fire Nation - back  _ home, _ even though he’s not welcome - wishing he wasn’t alone.

*

They throw him in a cage with a single window, and they spit at his face and throw his food at him.

Zuko laughs in their face and tells them to do their worst.

*

They don’t stop giving him food, not completely, but it’s just enough to keep Zuko from dying. Zuko tries to ration it, because he’s not really putting it past them to cut off his food entirely. The only guard who gives him actual meals isn’t actually his guard, and  _ his  _ meal guard likes to toss the food against the wall most of the time and laugh when Zuko stares at it in hunger.

He tries to count how many days he’s there. He’s a firebender, right? Rise with the sun and all that jazz.

But his sleeping schedule is  _ fucked _ because he's tired  _ all the time, _ and he loses count of how many days he’s in the damn cell. At least a moon, though. Probably.

He doesn’t know how long for  _ sure  _ he’s been in here for, he  _ does _ know that he’s lost a scary amount of weight. The only place that doesn’t is his stomach, which hasn’t grown much at all. His tiny little firefly is getting weaker, and Zuko puts all of his energy into trying to keep it alive and thriving. It doesn't help much.

It’s extremely worrisome, and Zuko is starting to panic.

He needs to get out of here.

*

There is  _ one  _ single guard that doesn’t seem to hate his guts. It kinda surprises Zuko, actually. She has a stern face, but she looks at Zuko with something almost akin to sympathy.

Zuko hates it.

She introduced herself as Ming, and Zuko thinks the name suits her. She doesn’t always bring food to him, but it’s definitely refreshing when she does. Today, she brings him normal prison food, plus one surprise.

It’s a mango. Zuko loves mangoes.

“Thank you.” He says quietly, grabbing the fruit off the tray. He looks up at Ming, who smiles at him.

“When I was growing up, we had a mango groove near our house. Used to pick up and eat the ones that fell on the ground during the summer. My father loved them.” Ming admits, almost sounding a bit sheepish.

Why is she sharing this with him?

“Why are you telling me this?” he asks, narrowing his eyes at her.

“Your uncle reminds me of my father.” Ming turns around and walks out the door, acting like she didn’t just drop a bombshell on Zuko’s head with a single sentence.

He wasn’t 100% sure that Uncle was here, in the Capital City Prison with him, but here this guard is all but telling him outright that he’s here, in the prison tower. 

It’s something to think about, surely.

*

He hums to himself, a song from a play those stupid Ember Island Players are probably still butchering, and wonders just how hot of a flame he would have to produce to melt the fire-bender proof bars of his cage.

It’d have to be as hot as Azula’s blue fire, probably.

*

There’s a solar eclipse coming, the Day of Black Sun. He only knows this because the stupid guards talk about it just a little bit too loudly, and Zuko makes no indication that he hears them.

There will be no firebending for an indeterminate amount of time. Zuko  _ needs _ to know the time, because that might be his only chance of escape.

*

He thinks that with the spirit water that Katara had with her that very, very eventful day, that maybe the Avatar survived Azula’s lightning. Which means if the Avatar and his group of children have any brains at all, they’ll try to kill his father during the Black Sun.

_ Spirits, _ he hopes so.

*

The Avatar, Zuko thinks as he stares at the same damn crack in the wall for the nth time, is a monk. He’s killed before - a  _ whole _ fucking Fire Nation Navy fleet, but it probably wasn’t a conscious decision. The Avatar seems to always avoid fighting if he can help it, and he’s read somewhere that monks are pacificistic vegetarians.

Ridiculous.

And also not exactly giving Zuko the confidence that he’s going to take down his bastard of a father.

*

Warden Joon comes by. His words are harsh and biting, but Zuko is more than used to it by now. He grew up with  _ Azula _ and had to deal with Zhao’s shitty personality.

His words are childish and weak.

Zuko tells him so.

*

His breathing is something constantly,  _ constantly _ being fed into his inner flame, and he tries to recall every single damn lesson that Uncle had ever told him about breathing. 

Uncle is right of course.

He tries to feed his inner fire more air, more life.

He’s not successful. He’s doing something wrong, he  _ knows _ it.

He remembers something, a distant something, about determination and a drive being one of the key elements to being able to bend fire. It makes sense, but Zuko’s own fire is  _ weak, _ and he’s not sure if it’s because of the limited food (likely) or his lack of drive (more likely). He was fueled by his rage for those three years, because it ate at him and consumed him from the inside out and he had to  _ release _ it, had to  _ do  _ something with it.

Now, he has anger, but it’s not as powerful as before. Something to do with his inner self changing or whatever, which is probably what Uncle would say if he were here. 

So… he has to find a new drive.

Taking Azula down? Not enough, and he’s pretty sure she’ll play with him for a while before striking him dead with lightning the next time he sees her.

Overthrowing his father? Powerful, but not really  _ his _ destiny. 

Actually chasing after his own destiny? Not a bad idea, but Zuko really  _ doesn’t know what it is. _ He’s currently in a cell, starving, and pregnant.

Oh.

The answer is so obvious that if it was a rat viper it would have bit him.

Zuko straightens up, closes his eyes, and  _ breathes. _

*

It takes many, many attempts to get the first lick of a blue flame, but it’s enough for Zuko to literally jump for glee. 

There were a rather concerning amount of opportunities to firebend (for the guards at least, Zuko was taking full advantage of it) and the first flicker of blue flame beneath his fingers is the start of something.

It didn’t last very long, and it took tremendous effort to actually  _ make _ the damn thing, but...

He’s  _ done it. _

*

He tries not to think of Jet while he works. He is, of course, extremely unsuccessful.

*

It’s kind of a waste to just wait around till the Black Sun to start taking apart the cell, so he starts small.

He inspects the cage first.

It’s not like he doesn’t know every damn inch of it already - boredom is a bitch, Zuko learns - but he still has to find the most discreet place to remove the bars. The front of the cell is a no go - it’s the first thing that a guard would see, and the metal is  _ really thick. _ Which leads Zuko to the top.

It still had thick, sturdy bars running along it, but the bars running perpendicular to it are less sturdy and thinner, and there are less of them then there are on the front of the cage. If he removes three of those bars, he could probably squeeze out.

Zuko’s skinnier than before - he could get out.

With this plan in mind, Zuko starts with the section of bar closest to the wall.

He lets his fire run over it - he can’t hold the blue fire for long, but  _ damn _ if Zuko isn’t stubborn when he wants to be - and takes delight when it starts to turn bright yellow. He takes the wooden spoon he stuffed in his robe from dinner (given by Ming, of course) and  _ pushes. _

It bends. 

And it also sets the spoon on fire.

Zuko hurriedly puts the fire out - can’t have guards snooping around, can he? - and looks back at the fading color of the bar.

It’s warped.

Zuko smirks, and gently rubs his abdomen. It’s a gesture he finds himself doing more often than not - at least when the guards aren’t around. “We’re getting out of here, firefly.” he says softly. The nickname suits his little baby well. Zuko kinda finds it funny that the baby was most likely conceived when Jet and Zuko were making love near a pond that was glowing with fireflies, but he won’t tell them that when they grow up.

First, he has to get out of here.

*

Zuko wrists are thin. Weight has all but melted off of him, and his fingers are bony and  _ cold. _

The cage is always cold, with a lingering chill that wants to chase after Zuko’s own inner fire.

He won’t let that happen, of course. Uncle taught him well.

*

He has a plan. It’s kind of a shitty one, but it’s going to have to work because if it doesn’t then that means Zuko’s going to probably be captured again, and is probably going to be executed instead of being shoved in a cage.

High stakes here.

He knows that the Black Sun is today. He doesn’t know the time, but he knows he’s going to have the  _ small _ time window to get out and find his Uncle.

Three bars are disconnected. Still attached to one of the sturdy poles, but not the other. The other side is barely hanging on though, and will break if Zuko puts enough pressure on it.

Once he’s out of the cage, he’ll have to sneak past the guards in the tower. They’re all firebenders, and most of them are probably incompetent at fighting without their firebending. 

They’re also pretty bad about keeping the door to his cell room locked.

From there, he’ll have to find Uncle. Uncle is undoubtedly planning an escape - he’s the damn Dragon of the West - and with the two of them, they’ll be able to hold their own until they escape from the tower.

From then, Zuko’s hoping and praying that he’ll be able to join the Avatar, and maybe Uncle will teach him firebending.

And then help him overthrow the Fire Lord. But ya know, one step at a time.

*

Ming stops by his cell. 

“I’m taking the rest of the day off, to rest.” She says carefully, setting a tray of food in front of Zuko’s cage. There’s a mango on it. Zuko looks up at her, and there’s a glimmer in her eyes that makes Zuko think that maybe she shouldn’t be a guard in a high facility prison. “Your uncle recommended it.” 

Zuko feels his lips quirk up the slightest bit.

*

He can feel the sun start to disappear. His inner flame is beginning to feel like it’s being suppressed - not fading, but out of his reach. It makes him want to panic, but he’s only reassured by the bump on his stomach and the fact that he knows the eclipse isn’t supposed to last very long.

The small window in his room is starting to darken - which is not supposed to happen because it’s in the middle of the damn day - and Zuko readies himself.

He gets up off the floor - which is harder than it should be, but Zuko pushes past it - and carefully listens for any movement outside his cell.

Nothing.

Quietly, Zuko starts removing the disconnected bars. He has to use a little fire to get the job done, but it works. He slips the bars through the cell, onto the other side in case he needs a weapon. 

Actually  _ managing _ to squeeze out of the cage is much, much harder than it would have been a few months ago. He has to pull himself up and through the damn bars, and he’s panting with effort. The places where the bars were removed from digs into his skin, but he pushes down the pain and manages to squeeze himself out.

He’s just skinny enough. Ha.

With his heart trying to pound out of his chest, he carefully crawls over the edge of the cage, and hops down without a sound that speaks of years of experience. He grabs two of the bars, and sneaks over to the door before peering through it carefully.

Still no guards. Where  _ are  _ they?

Zuko opens the door, and immediately freezes when he hears how loud the damn thing is. He holds his breath, listening.

Still no one. 

He’s about to move when he feels his fire - his inner flame - fall completely out of his reach. It’s such a sense of emptiness that nearly buckles over, and he has to take a moment to fight against the instant urge to throw up. 

_ This will be over soon. This will be over soon. This will be over soon. _ He takes a deep breath, and continues chanting in his head.

He opens the door just wide enough to slip out, and then he  _ runs. _

The halls all look the same. He peeks into every single cell, and never spots his uncle. 

He feels his stomach drop. Did Ming lie to him? He tenses at the thought. Could this be a trap? A trick to get him charged with a crime that will get him executed? He takes a deep breath, and moves on from the current cell. No point in wondering now, he’s already out. 

Zuko knows the eclipse is short, and time is already running out. 

When he comes across a cell with a door blown right open, he immediately knows that it’s Uncles. He rushes in, and sees Warden Joon against the wall, nearly unconscious. The bars are torn up, pushing  _ out _ like somebody caused it from the inside, and there’s only one person Zuko know’s who could pull that off.

He has to go find him, but not before he kicks Joon in the stomach for being an asshole.

*

He manages to get outside. Most guards are unconscious, a clear sign that Uncles somehow took them out. There’s exactly  _ two _ guards outside the door Zuko came out of (what the  _ fuck,  _ Fire Nation) and Zuko wacks them both upside the head with his metal poles.

They crumple to the ground, and Zuko thinks to himself,  _ hey, I still got it! _

Which is reassuring, even if Zuko feels like he’s going to pass out.

“Zuko?” He whirls around, because he would recognize that voice anywhere. 

Uncle is standing there, just outside the prison gates Zuko just came from, and he looks fucking  _ ripped. _

_ What the fuck? _

*

There’s no time for a sickly sweet reunion, and they both run like hell away from the Capital City Prison. There’s rocks under his feet and the absolute fear that they’re going to be caught, but the air Zuko breathes is  _ free. _

*

Once they’re both certain that they’re a safe distance from the prison, Zuko all but hurls himself at his Uncle.

He’s...firm. Which is something that is very strange. Uncle has always been fluffy and soft, and now he’s probably the most built man Zuko’s ever seen. “I didn’t know you could work out.” Zuko blurts out, and nearly smacks his head at the stupidity of what he just said.

Uncle just bursts out laughing though, and squeezes him closer. 

“How have you been, my nephew?” Uncle asks suddenly, sounding very serious.

Zuko sighs heavily. “I think we’re both okay. Weak and hungry, but okay. Ming brought me mangoes.”

He feels more than hears his Uncle chuckle. “She was quite the jem, wasn’t she?” Zuko just nods into his uncle's shoulder.

*

“Where are we going?” Zuko huffs, out of breath while trying to keep up with Uncle Iroh. Oh how the tables have turned.

“To a nearby town.” Uncle says simply. “There should be a member of the White Lotus there.” 

“Right.” Zuko mutters to himself. Probably another old man, then.

*

He’s right. Xing is a very old man, and apparently still up and kicking enough to maintain a whole damn farm by himself. Zuko is impressed.

Once Uncle Iroh has finished playing the damn game of Pai Sho to actually  _ prove  _ he’s a member of the White Lotus (actually the  _ Grandmaster) _ , Xing immediately directs them to where the baths are in his house, and tells them to clean themselves up while he finds some clothes that fit them both.

One look at Uncle and they’re both thinking the same thing -  _ thank Agni. _

Baths were a rarity in the prison, and Zuko’s pretty sure that he has a whole layer of dirt on his entire body. Uncle, because he’s Uncle, lets Zuko go first.

Zuko fucking  _ missed _ hot water. He scrubs until his skin is raw to get the damn dirt off. He tries not to take too long but definitely doesn’t succeed, and he’s out of the tub and wrapped in a towel that Xing had basically thrown at him (great hospitality) and sneaks out of the room to see his Uncle calmly meditating.

While looking buff as fuck. Spirits. 

Uncle opens his eyes when he hears the door open, and gives Zuko a small smile. “He picked these up for you.” Uncle says, “And I managed to convince him to spend a few extra coins on something I think you’ll appreciate.” He gets up, and reaches down to hand Zuko a wrapped parcel. He gestures to a door beside him. “You can change in the spare bedroom.” 

Uncle slips past Zuko into the bathroom, and closes the door behind him. Zuko shrugs to himself and makes his way to the spare bedroom.

When he opens the parcel, it’s a bunch of commoner Fire Nation clothes, and a half vest.

Sweet Agni. He’s probably never gotten dressed as fast in his life.

The commoner clothes are loose red pants and a shirt, a dark robe with which he can wrap around his waist, sturdy boots, and the arm and shin guards.

He’ll have to find a way to thank Xing.

*

Uncle comes out wearing a blue robe with white trim that looks simple enough. His facial hair is back to it’s normal cut, and his hair is back in its respective bun. 

He looks more like Uncle and less like somebody who fights people for money in underground rings.

Thank Agni.

*

Xing makes a simple dinner that Zuko can only eat half of, gives them a few coins, and shares with them one crucial piece of information; the Avatar is  _ alive. _

Zuko fucking called it.

*

“I think my destiny is to join the Avatar.” Zuko whispers quietly into the night air. Beside him, Uncle turns to look at him. He looks a little surprised, but mostly proud.

“I think you’ll be a more than adequate teacher.” He says, looking so fucking proud that it makes Zuko’s chest ache.

“Even though I’m… pregnant?” 

“You are more than capable of keeping both of you safe. You must simply be aware of your limits, and not move beyond that.” 

“You’re really just going to let me go that easy? After everything?”

“I’ve only ever wanted you to find your way, Zuko. You know how to do that better than anyone else.”

“What will you do then?”

“Oh I don’t know. Maybe meet with some old friends.” His Uncle’s eyes gleam with a look of determination that Zuko has seen only a few times, and he knows that whatever Uncle’s going to do, it’s going to be done  _ right. _

*

Zuko doesn’t want to break apart with Uncle Iroh. They spent  _ weeks _ away from each other, and now they’re going to part ways again?

It feels unfair. More than unfair. But Uncle has his destiny, and Zuko has his.

*

“One more thing, before you go.” Xing’s gravely old voice stops Zuko as he steps out of the door. He turns around, and spots the old man holding something large, and suspiciously familiar shaped. “Used to use these a lot in my younger years, don’t have no use for them anymore. Thought that you might put these to better use than me.” Zuko reaches out and grabs the sheath, and smoothly pulls on the handle.

Dao blades.

“Thank you.” Zuko says, for a lack of anything better to say. Xing waves a hand at him.

“Now get outta here, boy. Go do something about this shit show of a war.” Zuko snorts, and turns to walk out.

*

Zuko is incredibly thankful for his ability to track the Avatar. 

There’s really not many places he  _ can _ be, especially not after the invasion. Earth Kingdom is probably on fire, or going to be soon, Water Tribes are too far away, and Fire Nation is suicide. Which leaves Air Temples.

The closest one is the Western Air Temple, but it’s also over sea. Which means Zuko needs to find a boat or… he needs to fly.

*

Is breaking into a military base when you’re wanted for treason and pregnant a good idea? Absolutely fucking not, but Zuko doesn’t have much of a choice.

The coast of the Fire Nation is protected by both the Navy and lighthouses. The lighthouses are usually military bases, and there’s a low chance that there’s actually an air balloon in their facility, but Zuko’s running out of options here.

He steals an all black outfit from a market (sorry, nice old lady) and a random mask from a vendor when no one was looking. It’s not a blue spirit mask, but it’ll do. He stuffs his clothes in a bag he’s also stolen (he has  _ so  _ many charges on his head right now) with food he’s  _ also fucking stolen, _ but this is all for the greater good. Zuko needs it.

Well, maybe he didn’t need a bag of spicy gummies. But whatever.

With his outfit on and his bag and dao broadswords strapped to his back, he sneaks past the gate to the tower. It’s easier than the one guarded by Yukon Archers, that’s for damn sure. Why does Fire Nation security  _ suck _ so much?

Finding the balloons is easy. They’re by the huge ass warships that are quite hard to miss. They’re deflated, but all of the components are together. Sneaking out of here though, is probably going to end up with Zuko getting shot down.

Hmm. 

He needs a distraction.

He surveys the area, looking for anything flammable. Nothing immediate, but what if they have blasting jelly?

That’d  _ definitely _ cause a big distraction.

With practice that definitely helped him abduct/reduce the Avatar from Zhao, Zuko sneaks into the facility. The hallways are large and poorly lit, and Zuko peaks through each room he comes across, trying to look for the supply room.

He finds it after what seems like hours, but is probably only a few minutes. It’s full of crates and barrels, and Zuko takes a quick peek into the barrels.

Blasting jelly. Booyah.

*

Taking delight in seeing a Fire Nation facility on fire while Zuko flies away in a hot air balloon is probably not as funny as Zuko thinks it is, but he laughs loudly at them all anyway as he floats away.  _ Maybe  _ a bit  _ too _ manically.

*

Arriving at the Western Air Temple is both tiring and nerve wrecking. He lands a fair distance away from the actual temple itself, because if the Avatar  _ is  _ here, he doesn’t want them to shoot him down and then he falls to his death in a ravine.

Zuko makes himself a camp (and by that he means make a rock formation semi-livable) and stashes the fucking  _ heavy _ war balloon under some branches.

It’s only then that he takes a moment to lie down, and the colossal amount of shit he’s done in the past two days takes its toll on him. The exhaustion catches up, and he’s out as soon as he closes his eyes.

*

He dreams of Jet. It’s definitely not the first dream he’s had, but it makes him no less confused. 

Jet just  _ disappeared _ in Ba Sing Se. No note, no goodbye, just up and fucking dissipated. Smellerbee, and by extension Longshot, had a theory. One that that was very Jet, and very stupid. 

Jet couldn’t shut his mouth. It’s something that Zuko knows, and probably anyone who spends longer than two minutes with Jet. Smellerbee whispered about how Jet spoke about what was beyond the walls,  _ truly _ beyond the walls, to his coworkers. He knew he wasn’t supposed to, but did it anyway. 

Zuko knows the war has haunted Jet, changed him in ways that even Zuko doesn’t know. But if that was the case, then it’d explain a lot of things. It means he was probably taken by the Dai Li, and killed for talking just a little bit too openly about his experiences in the war. The Dai Li were touchy that way.

There’s no point in thinking about it anymore - Zuko’s probably never going to see Jet again, and Zuko’s going to be a single father of a child and, if Uncle doesn’t take the throne, probably the Fire Nation too. He’d be very busy with the Fire Nation, would he even have time to raise a child?

The thought of being an absent father makes his stomach clench painfully.

No. No way.

He’s not going to be like his father, and he’s going to be  _ there _ for his child just like his mother was for him.

*

“This is such a bad idea.” He mutters to himself. And it truly, truly is. What was he  _ thinking? _ Joining the Avatar? The only truly  _ good  _ thing he’s done for them was set Appa free, and that’s like… basic human decency. No animal cruelty here, among Zuko’s monumental amount of fuck ups!

Is this even a good idea for his firefly? He’s past the first few moons, which means he’s in the safety zone right? He tunes himself in with his inner fire, and reassures himself with the tiny heartbeat that’s not his own from within it. It’s still weak, but Zuko isn’t expecting it to magically get better.

Can’t keep him from wishing though.

The badger frog on the log ribbits at him, and Zuko glares at it. “What am I even supposed to say? Hey, Zuko here! I found out in Ba Sing Si that I’m  _ pregnant _ so I wanted to change my life around, and then Azula kicked my ass and got me and Uncle locked up for prison, and then I managed to escape said prison on the Day of Black Sun and I’m here now! I’m full of good intentions, so I think I should join your group. I can even teach the Avatar firebending, I just have to do it as quickly as possible because I’m pregnant. Thanks!” Zuko growls loudly when the badger frog hoops away.

He’ll just have to wing it.

*

Zuko is fucking  _ nervous. _

He climbs down to the temple from the vines and nearly fucking  _ slips,  _ which has his adrenaline going and definitely not helping his anxiety. He’s been too anxious all morning, so much so that he didn’t touch any of the food he brought with him. It’ll bite him in the ass later.

He drops down on the ground (roof?) of a temple as quietly as he can, and carefully starts sneaking around to find them. He remembers the last time he was here, early on in his banishment. Hair shaven and face freshly burned, and nothing but hatred and pain to fuel his actions. He thought he was... _ good _ then, but he wasn’t. Zuko was wrong and misled, and he’s going to be better from now on.

He’s making his way to the fountain he remembered seeing last time when he spots the Avatar swooping around doing a giant fancy loop with a loud whoop. Zuko nearly jumps out of his skin, and peaks around a building to see him land. 

There’s the rest of them alright, all gathered around said pond. Zuko takes a deep breath to calm down, and starts approaching them. He’s hidden by Appa, lovely flying bison that he is, and pauses.

Does he really want to do this?

“I think that’ll have to wait.” He hears a voice say. Appa, who Zuko now deems a traitor, moves out of the way dutifully and reveals Zuko to the rest of the group. He freezes, eyes (eye) widening. 

He waves awkwardly, trying to smile. “Hello, Zuko here.”

The group immediately goes into a fighting stance - he deserves it, really - and he immediately takes a half step back, hands palm up in surrender. “Hey, there. I, uh, I know this is probably a surprise.” The group, while not looking angry, are incredibly suspicious. 

"You've literally chased us around the world," Sokka says, "so you suddenly finding us isn't much of a surprise."

“I thought that what I was doing - the whole chasing you guys thing, sorry about that by the way - was actually really bad, and I’ve learned how to do better. Be better. Just better, really. I’m also here to, uh, teach the Avatar fire bending?” It comes out as a question, and Zuko winces. 

“Li?” the voice  _ \- a familiar voice, whispering sweet nothings into his ear - _ is one Zuko would have to be dead to not recognize, and his head snaps to the sound.

It’s Jet.

Jet, who has significantly longer hair and is missing his hay straw.

Jet, who looks so full of hope that it makes Zuko’s heart clench painfully.

Jet, who looks like he’s going to cry.

The first thing that Zuko feels is  _ rage _ because this is the person who broke Zuko's heart, who practically  _ left _ him in Ba Sing Se with no warning and a baby on the way. It's a familiar rage - one that used to fill his being and fuel his fire. It seeks to  _ do _ something, to _ hurt. _

He attacks Jet in the next moment, swords out in an instant and aiming to strike. Jet looks surprised - shocked, really - and immediately moves to block Zuko's swords with his tiger hooks. The gesture is a familiar one, a result of hours of sparring with one another. 

Jet shoves back on Zuko’s blades, and Zuko hisses in frustration at how  _ easy _ it is. Jet looks briefly surprised too, and Zuko uses it as an opportunity to strike again, instead kicking Jet harshly in the legs. Jet barely manages to dodge it. 

“You  _ left _ me!” Zuko yells, already moving to strike again. Jet blocks him, and Zuko swoops in at the small opening.

“Li, that’s not what happened!” Jet says desperately, barely managing to dodge the blow. Zuko ignores him, and begins to strike at Jet’s feet again. Suddenly, Zuko feels himself being  _ shoved _ to the side by something very cold, and very wet. He smacks his shoulder down on the ground, and hisses at the way he landed. He’s  _ so _ out of practice. He grits his teeth at his now wet clothing clinging to his body. He shoves himself to his feet, only to see that the rest of the group is now hovering over Jet, looking ready to strike Zuko. Jet has his tiger hooks out, looking like he’s trying to hold the others...back?

Shoving the thought down, he shifts into a defensive position, bracing himself for an attack from any of them. It was a fucking  _ mistake  _ to come here. He knows he will lose a fight if  _ all _ of them attack them, but he stands a chance at defending himself.

Jet makes a sort of pained noise, and turns towards the rest of the group, his pained chocolate eyes not leaving Zuko’s furious gold ones. “Back off guys.”

“He just  _ attacked  _ you!” Aang says, narrowing his eyes at Zuko.

“Yeah, and right after preaching about how great he was now! That’s not exactly a sign that he’s trustworthy, Jet!” Sokka contributes, making Zuko sneer slightly. This meeting has gone  _ horribly. _

“Just back off, guys. Trust me.” The group looks uneasy at his words, and exchange a quick glance before pulling back and retreating. 

Jet stands before him now, alone and not looking like he wants to fight very much. Coward.

“Li, I think we need to talk-” Zuko darts forward - just a  _ little _ too slowly - and Jet curses before deflecting him. “Okay, I guess that’s what we’re gonna do this then.” He says simply, and then immediately strikes.

It takes Zuko off guard for a moment, but he quickly recovers. It’s a serious struggle to keep up with Jet - he has to use every single trick and weakness he remembers Jet having. Which unfortunately isn’t many, and apparently Jet has only gotten  _ better _ since Ba Sing Se.

Zuko is not only rusty, but also weaker. Jet has a humongous advantage, and Zuko  _ hates _ it. Zuko is wearing out easier than before, and moving so quickly is starting to make him light headed. Zuko growls in frustration when Jet manages to disarm him - one blade, and then the other - and pants heavily when he watches Jet toss his tiger blades to the side. 

“You still want a go? You don’t want to hear what I have to say?” Jet aks, sounding desperate. 

_ Yes, _ Zuko thinks.

“No.” Jet sighs silently, and Zuko all but throws himself at Jet.

Fighting without swords is very different. It’s  _ such _ a dirty fight, Zuko biting whenever he can, and not being afraid to go for low blows or pull on Jet’s longer hair. He even manages to get a blow to Jet’s nose, making it splurt blood all over the both of them. Jet is clearly angered by it, but it doesn’t deter him much from the goal of this fight - that is, to gain control over Zuko. 

And he does. Zuko missteps - brought on by a growing sensation of dizziness - and Jet takes the opportunity to sweep Zuko off his feet, making him fall straight on his ass. Jet quickly pins him down, holding his arms in one hand, and firmly settling himself on his legs. The other hand rests on Zuko’s throat, a silent message to  _ stay down. _

Zuko isn’t cool with that. He wants to buck Jet off of him, wants to make him  _ bleed _ even more. He’s tired though - his body is protesting every muscle moving, and his chest aches with how hard he’s panting. His firebending tingles beneath his skin, enough to be  _ there _ but not enough to actually use it.

The thought makes him peak in on his firefly.

The tiny heartbeat is beating extremely fast, enough that Zuko actually freezes and starts regulating his breathing immediately, as difficult as it is. The energy beneath his skin slowly recedes away, and the tiny heartbeat gradually begins to slow.

_ Agni _ , fighting while pregnant was  _ the worst thing _ he could have fucking done. He could have taken a blow to the stomach (which he didn’t, he very much made sure of that) and he would have lost his firefly. He could have stressed his body too much, and something could have  _ happened - _

“LI!” Jet’s voice cuts through the spiraling panic, and Zuko blinks as he realizes that Jet is looking at him with concern. “You spaced out on me. You okay, darling?”

That stupid fucking nickname is what breaks him. It makes his heart ache with familiarity, and every part of him just  _ screams _ to embrace Jet. To let Jet take care of Zuko, because he wants to  _ trust _ him.

He’s crying, and Zuko is a very ugly crier. “You  _ left me.” _ He chokes out, trying to shove down the tears unsuccessfully. Jet looks like he’s going to fucking cry too, and he gently wipes away the tears on Zuko’s face with the hand that was formerly around his neck. 

He knows, rationally, that Jet didn’t technically leave him. That something must have happened, and that Jet wasn’t actually  _ able _ to be there. But he did leave, didn’t he? Chose to keep reliving the war, and stick his nose in things he shouldn’t have? Attracted the wrong attention, and got taken away. Ba Sing Se was supposed to be a new beginning, but he couldn’t stop living in the past.

Zuko would be a hypocrite if he said anything.

“If I let you up, are you going to attack me again?” Jet asks carefully, and Zuko just shakes his head. He regrets it when he immediately becomes even dizzier. He just wants to shut his eyes, and maybe sleep for a thousand years. His eyes flutter shut, and he feels himself becoming limp against his will.

“Whoa whoa whoa, keep those eyes open for me pretty boy. You gotta keep looking at my handsome face, cause we have to talk about some  _ very important things.” _ Zuko makes some sort of humming noise, not agreeing or disagreeing.  _ Spirits, _ he’s so exhausted. The adrenaline is fading and Zuko is starting to feel the effects of fighting even more.

He feels Jet’s weight shift off him, and he feels himself being pulled up into a semi-sitting position, being supported by something very strong (Jet’s arms) and settled into something very familiar (Jet’s lap). He feels Jet’s warm hand cup his cheek, and he opens his eyes to see Jet looking  _ extremely _ worried. “What’s going on with you, doll? You’re never like this after fighting.”

“Tired.” Zuko slurs quietly, and he tries to make himself more awake. A headache begins to form instead. He lets his head fall onto Jet’s shoulder. It’s a comfy shoulder, armor aside.

“We’ve gotta talk about some stuff first, and then you can go to my room and sleep okay?”

“You left me.” Zuko murmurs, opening his eyes enough to watch Jet’s expression twist into something pained. 

“No, darling. Never. I was caught saying some things in some places I shouldn’t have, and I attracted the attention of the Dai Li.” Ah. So Smellerbee’s theory held some truth, then. “They liked to pretend there’s no war in Ba Sing Se, so they erased my memory with brainwashing. Made me think that I had been living peacefully in Ba Sing Se with no memories of...anything. No memories of you.” 

Oh, that  _ hurts. _

He feels himself beginning to cry again, and feels Jet wipe away the tears gently again.  _ Agni  _ why is Zuko such a cry baby? “Not the case anymore sunshine. Katara helped me get them back, and I remember everything. I knew something was missing, and that something was you.” He gently presses their foreheads together, and Zuko whines softly.

“It’s okay honey. Everything is okay. You’re safe, and I’m safe. But I think we should talk about what happened on your end after a bit of rest, yeah?” Zuko makes an agreeing sound, and he carefully feels himself being lifted into Jet’s arms, bridal style.

He makes a sound of protest, and Jet shushes him. “You weigh about as much as a pygmy kitten, sunshine. Great Spirits, were you  _ starved?” _

“Mmhmm.” Zuko hums unthinkingly. He thinks back to his meal guard, and how the damn man thought food art on the wall was an excellent way to torture Zuko. He wasn’t wrong.

Jet freezes, and he thinks he hears gasping from behind them. “We’re definitely going to talk,” Jet says slowly, “but right now I’m going to put you to bed.” He starts walking, and Zuko feels his body gently sway with the motion.

He falls asleep before they reach Jet’s room.

*

The first thing he notices when he wakes up is 1) he can feels somebody cuddling him, and 2) that he’s still really fucking tired. Jet’s chest is acting as a pillow - a very firm, comfy pillow - and the blanket over the both of them is keeping Zuko very toasty, which he welcomes. The chill in his body from that awful cell has practically been chased away. Humming slightly, he nuzzles closer to Jet.

He feels him chuckle, and a hand gently starts playing with his hair. “Sleep well sweetheart?” Jet asks softly, and Zuko peeks an eye open to see Jet looking down at him fondly.

Zuko wants to feel upset. He really, really does. 

But he’s too tired.

“Tired.” He murmurs, ducking his head back down. He already knows that he’s not going to be able to go back to sleep, but it’s a nice thought to have. 

“Awake enough to talk about what’s happened?” Zuko whines softly, and he feels Jet press a kiss to his head. “It’s okay sweetheart, take your time.”

Zuko doesn’t want to talk about it. In fact, he very much would like to shove down and forget basically everything that’s happened since he was captured in Ba Sing Se. But he can tell Jet, right? He didn’t break his trust, if what Jet’s saying is true which he has little reason to not believe, and it makes sense. Jet leaving so suddenly did stand out, and now he has an explanation for it.

He can trust Jet.

“Pretty sure that the first thing I should start with is my um, real name. It’s Zuko.” Jet makes a small  _ huh _ sound.

“Suits you more than Li, I think.” Jet comments. “You’re still the same person, obviously, and that doesn’t change anything.” Jet kisses the top of his head, and Zuko hides a smile. “Wanna tell me what happened?”

“I was captured.” Zuko says quietly. “My sister was trying to overthrow Ba Sing Se from the inside out. The Avatar and his friends were there, and I sided with them. Got caught, and they… locked me up.” Jet stills, and Zuko pushes onward. “It was in the Prison Tower, used for criminals with very serious charges, like treason. It was basically a cage, and the meal guard I had thought it was fun to throw the food meant for me at the wall. Going hungry isn’t something that I’m unfamiliar with, but it was different this time because…” Zuko trails off, feeling unsure of how to continue.

“What’s wrong, sunshine?” Sighing, Zuko pushes himself into a sitting position, with Jet following. Jet all but pulls Zuko into his lap, and wraps the blanket around them both. 

“Do you… remember the night by the pond, and the fireflies?” Zuko watches Jet’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. 

“Yeah, where we had the picnic and stuff and we-” Jet cuts off suddenly, a clear sign that he’s beginning to connect dots. Zuko watches Jet’s face pale so quickly that he gently takes his face in his hands to ground him. “You-you’re saying you’re? That I-?”

“Got me knocked up?” Despite the situation, a hint of a smile appears on Zuko’s face. “Yeah, you did.”

Jet just stares at him, and Zuko thinks he might have broken him. Jet suddenly squeezes him so tightly that Zuko squeaks, and he hears Jet laughing in his ear, sounding so, so very happy.

“We’re having a baby?” He whispers, sounding in awe. Zuko laughs, and pulls Jet into a kiss.

“They’re still kicking. Thought that they weren’t going to make it for a while, but I’m out of that shit hole now.” Zuko says, going quiet at the thought of losing his firefly.

Jet sobers immediately. “They… they starved you in there. Which means that they hurt you  _ and _ them, right?” Zuko nods, and he watches Jet’s expression turn murderous. “I’m gonna kill every fucking one of them.” 

“It’s better that they didn’t know. I’m not sure what they would have done if they found out.” The thought sends a shiver down his spine, and Jet nuzzles him softly.

“You know I’m going to be extremely protective now, right?” Jet says, sounding amused.

“You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t.” Zuko kisses his nose softly. It’s been set back, and there’s no sign of blood from when Zuko broke it. He pushes down the guilt he feels. “And I love you for it.”

Jet smiles, and it makes his entire demeanor soften just that much more. “I love you too. Now, are you ready to get out there and eat? Cause I can hear your stomach growling from here.”

Zuko blushes. He was trying to ignore it. “You think they’re just going to accept me?” Jet shrugs.

“Aang’s a very forgiving person, and the rest of them usually go with what he wants. They forgave me after all.” Jet shrugs. Zuko huffs, and gingerly gets out of Jet’s embrace to stand up. He looks at his clothes, and he actually realizes that his robe is missing and his vest is very, very loose. 

“You messed with my vest?” Zuko asks, giving Jet the stink eye. Jet flinches, shifting to settle himself on his knees. 

“Didn’t think it was a good idea to sleep with it tightened, especially after that fight. Didn’t want you to get hurt, but don’t worry. I didn’t look at anything and I just loosened the laces.” Zuko sighs heavily. Can’t really argue with that logic. “I won’t do it again without your permission.” 

Jet looks like a kicked polar bear pup. Zuko hums, and gently strokes Jet’s cheek. “I understand.” And Jet, because he’s an  _ actual  _ polar bear pup, leans against Zuko’s legs and nuzzles his stomach. Zuko chuckles, and rubs his hand through his hair. Jet’s eyes are full of adortion, and Zuko wants to bask in it. 

“May I touch your stomach?” Jet asks, voice tinged with barely hidden excitement. Zuko merely pulls his shirt up, and Jet lights up as he immediately reaches out to touch. Zuko isn’t very big, in fact it should probably be bigger, but it’s noticeable and Jet places a sweet, feather light kiss on his stomach. It tickles.

“I think they’re going to be a firebender.” Zuko admits, placing his hand over Jets. He’s a little unsure of how Jet’s going to respond to this, with his… history with firebenders.

“I love them no matter what.” Jet whispers, pressing another kiss to his stomach. Zuko smiles, and ignores the stinging in his eyes. 

Suddenly, Zuko’s stomach growls incredibly loudly. Jet clicks his tongue, and shoves himself up off the ground. “Want to straighten yourself up while I wait outside?” he asks, and Zuko nods. Jet presses a kiss to his forehead, and exits through the door. Zuko can still hear him, and he hurriedly fixes his vest and puts on his robe. It doesn’t take long and within a few minutes Zuko is out and attaching himself to Jet’s side. Jet smiles at him, and tucks Zuko under his arm. Zuko rolls his eyes and elbows him, and Jet just snickers.

Zuko is still a bit dizzy, so he’s grateful for Jet guiding him where to go. He leads them to where they were earlier, only the sun has begun to set and a shit ton of people are eating by a fire.

Zuko takes a moment to look at them. There’s the Avatar (duh), the water tribe siblings, the girl earth bender, a boy in a wheelchair, an earth kingdom boy who looks kinda familiar, a  _ kid _ with a helmet, and Longshot and Smellerbee. Zuko doesn’t say anything, and merely allows Jet to herd him towards the freedom fighters. 

Zuko cautiously sits down next to Smellerbee, and Jet sits next to him so their legs are touching. The group of people, who had been chatting before Zuko entered, are now all looking at Zuko, who finds himself straightening up in a way that probably screams noble.

Jet chuckles. “Right. Introductions, everyone?”

“I’m Aang! But uh, you probably already know that.” The Avatar says, looking a bit sheepish.

“You know I’m Katara, and my knuckleheaded brother is Sokka. He’s the sarcasm and meat guy.” Katara says dryly, looking at her brother with a look that only a sibling can pull off. Zuko fights a grin.

“I’m Toph, the most badass person you’ll ever meet and the greatest earthbender in the world.” She says, grinning a smile that’s all teeth. Zuko likes her immediately.

The boy in the wheelchair gives a small wave. “Names Teo, I used to live at the Northern Air Temple, but uh, I’m not an airbender.”

“Got the spirit of one though! And you can fly!” Aang chirps up. Teo beams.

The earth kingdom boy next to him nods his head, giving Zuko a polite smile. “I’m Haru, uh, not much to know about me other than that I’m an earthbender.” Fair enough?

“I’m the Duke!” The small child says, his grin hiding his face in the helmet.

Wait...Zuko’s heard that name before. “Are you part of the freedom fighters?” Zuko asks, cocking his head to the side. The boy perks up even more, if possible. 

“Sure am!”

“You know us, of course.” Smellerbee says, rolling her eyes. Zuko’s lips twitch as he hides a smile. 

“Great! Now that you’re all caught up with who’s who, can you  _ please _ explain how you know each other?” Sokka demands, scowling as he crosses his arms.

Zuko stutters, not knowing where to start. Jet takes pity on him. “Okay, so long story short. Zuko and I met on a ship to Ba Sing Se because we were both refugees, and we bonded over screwing over rich fat people.” The two freedom fighters and Zuko stifle snickers. “He denied my offer to join the freedom fighters, but we met up anyway. Eventually we...fell in love.” Jet turns to look at him, and the look is full of softness. 

“You’re a damn sap.” Zuko tells him, no heat behind his words. 

“You’re both disgusting.” Sokka scowls. “And it doesn’t explain why Zuko is here, like at all. Start talking, Ponytail.”

“I don’t have a ponytail anymore.” Zuko says, frowning.

“That is so  _ not  _ the point.”

“Well, I kinda realized that what I was doing was...wrong. In Ba Sing Se. I thought that my honor was something that only my father could give me, but I came to realize that that wasn’t right, not in the least. He’s nothing but a liar and a sadist.” Zuko feels Jet pull him in closer with his arm and kisses his cheek softly. Sokka makes a sort of gagging sound, but Zuko ignores it. “I thought to myself, that I had to do my part in the war to end it. My time alone showed me how horrible it was, how much I was never told growing up.” 

He looks at Aang, who’s looking at him with wide curious eyes. “The Avatar’s destiny is to master all four elements, and defeat the Fire Lord. I know first hand that fire is dangerous, and I’m working towards more control at my bending. If you’ll have me, I’d like to be your teacher.” Aang watches him carefully for a moment, before standing up and bowing in Zuko’s direction. 

“I think you are supposed to be my firebending teacher.” He says with a smile on his face. Zuko stands up, albeit a little shakily, and bows in return. 

There’s a moment of silence.

“Well that’s nice and all, but I can hear Sparky’s stomach growling from here, give the man a bowl will ya?” The earth bender - Toph - grins in his direction and Zuko finds himself blushing, and the rest of the group laugh loudly when Zuko’s stomach growls at that exact moment.

They do indeed, provide him with a rather large amount of food. Zuko isn’t really sure what it is, and he resists the urge to poke it with his chopsticks. That’d be rude. It’s also like, a  _ lot _ of food.

“Is something wrong?” Katara asks, watching him stare at the bowl of food. 

“No!” Zuko says loudly, and then immediately cringing at how loud he was. “It’s just… I’m not used to this.”

Aang frowns. “It’s just a bowl of tofu noodles.”

“Right.” Zuko mutters, and goes back to his food. He ignores the stares from the people looking at him, and starts eating the noodles slowly. It’s kinda plain and definitely chewy, but Zuko makes an exaggerated “mmm!” sound that he hopes is convincing. 

It works well enough, and everyone goes back to eating their own food, except of course Jet. He places a gentle kiss on the side of his head - the side with the scar, where he’s weakest - and looks up at him. “You don’t have to eat all of it, sunshine. Just try, yeah?” He looks concerned, and Zuko just nods and goes back to looking at the ground.

“Sorry.” He mutters. Jet wraps an arm around his waist and pulls him closer. 

“Not your fault babe. If you don’t finish you can always give it to Sokka or the Duke, I’m pretty sure that those two are never going to turn down food.” Zuko snorts, and puts some more noodles in his mouth.

Jet beams.

  
  


*

“You sure that teaching the Avatar firebending is a good idea while pregnant?” Jet asks, kissing Zuko's stomach softly. Zuko, who’s laying down in their shared room and ready to fucking sleep, rolls his eyes. 

“I’m not stupid. I know my limits and I’ll stick to them.” Jet sighs, and scoots up so Zuko can lay his head on his lover’s chest. He cuddles up close in response, inhaling the familiar smell of spice and earthiness. Jet’s hand reaches down to continue touching his stomach, and Zuko wacks him in the shoulder as a response.

Jet just laughs at him, the bastard. “Can’t help it sunshine. Just feels...unreal.” 

Zuko snorts. “Feels real enough for me.” 

“Do you think they’ll be a girl or a boy?” Jet asks, and Zuko looks up at him. Jet looks so hopeful, and Zuko can’t help but smile at him. 

“I think,” Zuko says slowly, “that it’s going to be a girl.” It isn’t something that’s official by any means, and Zuko doesn’t know how to tell if it’s a girl or boy before they are born, but it’s just a feeling he has. 

“A girl? Thought of any names yet?” 

“Thought of names for both, actually. Had to do something to keep myself from dying of boredom.” Zuko says bitterly. Jet’s arm squeezes him closer briefly, and Jet presses a kiss to their forehead. 

“You’re never gonna go back there, you hear me? I won’t ever let that happen.” Zuko hides a smile in Jet’s chest, and falls asleep to the gentle feeling of Jet’s hands running through his hair and the comforting feeling of his partner breathing - alive and  _ here - _ beneath him.

*

Zuko wakes up first, of course. The sun is rising, and Zuko rises with it.

He’s warm and comfy, and he can feel an arm around him. He opens an eye - his good eye - and sees Jet’s arm curled around his waist. He looks behind him and sees Jet laying next to him, sprawled out like a damn dork. Zuko is curled into a ball, and he can feel Jet’s head pressing against his back. Close and touching, but not too much or too little. 

Jet’s face is different when he’s asleep. Zuko has only had the privilege of seeing him like this a handful of times, and he cherishes these moments. His face is softer, and all signs of him being the rough, charismatic boy are smoothed away to reveal someone people rarely get to see. Zuko lays on his back, and watches him for a quiet moment.

The blankets over them are so, so warm and Jet’s presence makes Zuko feel content, and the atmosphere is so, so peaceful. He lays there for a while, basking in the feeling. 

Zuko wants to go back to sleep, but that’s just not possible. Instead, he carefully turns over so he’s facing his partner, who gives a small undignified sound. Zuko feels a grin creep on his face, and he begins to poke his partner in  _ his _ face.

“Get up.” Zuko says, voice raspy from sleep. 

Jet, who’s used to waking up early, is still not  _ actually _ a morning person. He groans, and curls closer to Zuko in response. “‘m warm.” He murmurs, and Zuko huffs. 

“You’ll be just fine once you get your ass up and moving. Come on, get up you loaf.” He pushes on Jet’s shoulder gently. Jet just grumbles, and resolves this by laying his  _ entire body _ over Zuko’s, who squeaks. “Get off me, you hog ass!” Zuko whines, not making much of an effort to move him. Jet laughs quietly at his efforts.

“Could’ve woken me up in a much nicer way, huh?” Zuko blushes deeply, and Jet laughs as he rolls off of him and begins to stretch. Zuko not so subtly watches him. Jet notices, of course. “Like what you see?” He asks, winking. 

Zuko tosses a pillow at him. 

“Aww, don’t be like that, sunshine.” Zuko huffs, and pushes himself into a sitting position. “Come one babe, I was joking!” 

“Sure you were.” Zuko says dryly. Jet gives an exaggerated pout, and leans over to gently start kissing Zuko’s neck. Zuko’s face heats up, and the places Jet kisses begin to tingle. He knows  _ exactly _ what game Jet’s playing.

“Sorry.” Jet says, and Zuko can feel his smirk.

“Bullshit.” Zuko states, and flips both of them over quickly so he’s straddling Jet. Jet makes a slightly surprised sound, but welcomes it. He begins to kiss Zuko’s neck more, and Zuko practically  _ melts. _

“Think they’d mind if we showed up to breakfast late?” 

Zuko shrugs. “Let's find out.” 

*

They are very late to breakfast. Everybody is already there and sitting around the fire and eating.

The gang takes notice of this, obviously. “And just what have  _ you _ too been up to?” Sokka says, eyeing them up and down. Zuko tries very hard not to laugh, because he’s very sure that if Sokka did know, he most definitely would  _ not  _ be asking.

Beside him, Jet’s grin turns mischievous. “Just catching up with Zuko, of course.” Zuko smirks, and takes a moment to look Jet over. His hair is extremely mussed up, his few items of clothing wrinkled and put on kinda haphazardly, and he’s slightly shiny with sweat. Zuko himself is wearing Jet’s robe, and is undoubtedly flushed and likely has love bites all over his neck.

Great Spirits.

Sokka seems to realize this, and immediately begins making loud squawking sounds in between his gagging. Katara looks extremely disturbed, Aang just looks confused, and Toph is grinning like a madman.

Oh Zuko  _ definitely _ likes her. 

The Duke, who also looks very confused, pipes up. “What’s wrong with catching up? They probably missed each other!” Jet’s smirk grows, and Katara coughs awkwardly. 

“Well, there’s nothing  _ wrong _ per say, but there’s, uh, many different ways to catch up.” The Duke looks even more confused, and Haru swoops in to save them from giving the talk to a boy who likely hasn’t reached double digits. 

“Hey the Duke, I think there’s still some areas of the Temple we haven’t explored yet, you up for checking it out?” Haru asks with fake enthusiasm.

The Duke frowns. “I thought we checked out everything!”

Haru is not discouraged. “Well it’s a pretty big place, you up for it anyway?” He’s already up and starting to walk away, and the Duke jumps up to chase after him. Teo takes one look at the rest of them, and starts to follow them too.

Probably for the best. 

Jet snickers as they leave, and plunks down next to Longshot. Zuko makes a move to sit next to them, but Jet pulls him into his lap instead, arms wrapped around him securely. Zuko can’t hide the blush that rushes to his face, and he very pointedly ignores Jet’s shit-eating grin.

Smellerbee, not one for sappy bullshit, rolls her eyes so far back Zuko thought they might get stuck in her head. “You two are absolutely disgusting, I’m going to go stab a tree until I feel like I can look at you two again.” She gets up to leave, and Longshot gives them both a judgmental (but playful) look before getting up and following her. 

Zuko turns to Jet, who despite all of the massive amounts of events that should have prevented this from happening, is somehow sitting next to him. Zuko will need the full story about what happened since Ba Sing Se - the mysterious still healing bruise on Jet’s torso and the new members of the gang need explaining. 

For now, he’ll just lean into Jet’s chest as he slowly eats Katara’s mediocre jook (it’s not like Uncles), and listen to the playful banter going around the circle. 

He knows that there's a war still going on. He knows that it’s going to be a clusterfuck to figure out, and that’s not even including his personal issues. 

But with the way the Gaang (Sokka’s word apparently, not Zukos) seem to still have fucking hope, how the Dragon of the West is undoubtedly at work, and the reassurance that Jet is here and  _ alive, _ Zuko thinks everything might turn out okay.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed ^-^
> 
> (I'm not planning on writing a sequel to this, but thank you lovely people for reading it!)


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